GERING, Neb. (AP) - When Whitney Arellano, 11, was little, she’d tumble around the house doing cartwheels and somersaults.
“I started knocking over lamps and stuff like that,” Arellano said. “So my mom got me into tumbling.”
Arellano is part of the Carpenter Center’s competitive tumbling team.
“I love that you get the freedom to just flip and kind of do whatever you want,” Arellano said, adding that when she soars through the air, she’s able to forget about the world around her.
Carlee Todd, 14, took on the sport after seeing a movie.
“I don’t even remember what it was,” she told the Scottsbluff Star-Herald. “It was about gymnastics so I wanted to try it.”
She’s been tumbling for about seven years and competing for five. At first, she said it was difficult.
“As soon as you get the hang of it, it’s really fun and it’s super easy,” Todd said.
She makes it look easy, launching herself off a trampoline and completing rotation after rotation in the air.
Over the summer, Todd competed at the USA Gymnastics Championships. At the event, which is a national championship tournament, she tied for 10th place. Although she was two places away from making finals at the tournament, she still came out as one of the best tumblers in the nation competing at her skill level.
“It was pretty scary,” Todd said. “I was alone because I was in the upper level nationals. It was a really good experience though.”
It’s an experience that 7-year-old Jersey Joplin hopes to have someday. She began tumbling when she was two and joined the competitive team for the upcoming season.
“I like it because we do lots of stuff,” Joplin, who’s favorite trick is a roundoff back handspring, said.
Learning new tricks can be a challenge, Teyla Huff, 14, said.
“The hardest part is getting through mental blocks and being able to push yourself,” Huff said. “It’s a mindset - it’s whether you believe in yourself or not.”
Coach Bobbie Youel agreed, saying tumbling requires a dedicated mind and sometimes, kids get into their own heads.
“They can be pretty hard on themselves,” Youel said. “They actually all do really good.”
Youel said tumbling is a good way to keep kids active and helps with developing strength and improving flexibility.
It also teaches children the importance of self-discipline and it a way to build relationships, which is Huff’s favorite part of tumbling.
“You learn from your teammates and make real friendships that will last the rest of your life,” she said.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.